NEW YORK CITY – Midroll, the leader in the fast-growing podcast industry, is launching four new podcasts hosted by some of the biggest names in business and entrepreneurship through its branded content division, Midroll Brand Studio.

“Midroll Brand Studio partners with some of today’s sharpest thinkers and content creators, pairing them with brands that are ready to connect with audiences with an intimacy unique to podcasting,” said Lex Friedman, chief revenue officer for Midroll. “Midroll’s unmatched network of more than 300 podcasts means we can tap into a diverse range of audiences that is attractive to an equally diverse range of advertisers.”

Branded content is a growth driver for the blossoming podcast industry. Midroll Brand Studio is launching twice the number of podcasts in the first quarter of 2018 as it did in all of 2017. The studio has previously worked with major brand advertisers including FedEx, Papa John’s, Casper, Make-A-Wish Foundation and Annapurna Pictures.
“We are thrilled to partner with Midroll Brand Studio and associate the ZipRecruiter brand with powerhouse business leaders like Seth Godin, Daymond John and Cal Fussman,” said Eyal Gutentag, chief marketing officer at ZipRecruiter, the fastest-growing online employment marketplace. “This is an ideal way for us to connect with Midroll’s engaged audience of podcast listeners.”
Midroll Brand Studio’s upcoming releases include:

“Rise and Grind with Daymond John,” hosted by the award-winning businessman and popular television personality (“Shark Tank”), launches Jan. 24 and is sponsored by ZipRecruiter. In this 10-episode series based off his book of the same name, John seeks advice from his most successful friends, including fellow “Shark Tank” star Barbara Corcoran, serial entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk, talk-show host Wendy Williams and rapper and producer Tyler the Creator.

Through intimate conversations, John discovers how his guests’ daily habits and rituals, their “rise and grind” routines, have helped them hustle their way to the top of their industries.

“In ‘Rise and Grind,’ I’ll be deconstructing how some of the world’s top business people, musicians, athletes and more make the most of their 24 hours each and every day, and I’ll also explore how others can apply these techniques into their own daily routines,” said John. “Working with ZipRecruiter to launch this podcast gives me the opportunity to share these inspirational stories from my book and include some exclusive ones as well with my fans in a medium that I know they love!”

“Big Questions with Cal Fussman” returned Jan. 23. As a bestselling author, speaker and one of the greatest interviewers of this generation, Fussman has sat down with some of the world’s most influential leaders. In “Big Questions,” with presenting sponsor Squarespace and sponsor ZipRecruiter, Fussman hosts surprisingly candid and revealing conversations with basketball legend Kobe Bryant, SoulCycle’s Melanie Whelan and others.

“Akimbo: A Podcast from Seth Godin” is the newest podcast from the best-selling author and leadership teacher. Launching Feb. 15, the series focuses on akimbo, an ancient concept describing the bend in a river or in an archer’s bow. Sponsored by ZipRecruiter, the podcast focuses on the culture in which we live – and how we can change it. As Godin says: “The culture is real, but it can be changed. You can bend it.”

“Breached,” hosted by award-winning journalist Bob Sullivan, will launch March 28. Sponsored by Carbonite, the show takes a look at the biggest hack no one knew about: Yahoo. Three billion users are left vulnerable for three years and experts are still baffled. “Breached” digs into the who, why and how of this unprecedented mystery, trying to figure out what it really means and, more importantly, what do we do now?

All of the podcasts can be found on Stitcher, Apple Podcasts and other listening platforms.

About Midroll MediaMidroll Media is a leading podcast content company, advertising network and distribution platform that is changing the face of digital audio. It is the parent company of the Earwolf network and its top-ranked comedy podcasts; popular podcast listening platform and content network Stitcher and its premium subscription service; and the Midroll advertising network, representing over 300 of the world’s largest podcasts. With offices in Los Angeles, New York City and San Francisco, Midroll was founded in 2010 and is a wholly owned subsidiary of The E.W. Scripps Company (NYSE: SSP).